Alstroemeria plant named ‘Zalsatal’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of  Alstroemeria  plant named ‘Zalsatal’, characterized by its erect and strong flowering stems; vigorous growth habit; red-colored flowers; and excellent postproduction longevity.

Botanical designation: Alstroemeria hybrida.

Cultivar denomination: ‘ZALSATAL’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Alstroemeria plant, botanically known as Alstroemeria hybrida, commercially used as a cut flower Alstroemeria, and hereinafter referred to by the name ‘Zalsatal’.

The new Alstroemeria plant is a product of a planned breeding program conducted by the Inventor in Rijsenhout, The Netherlands. The objective of the breeding program is to create new cut flower Alstroemeria plants with desirable flower and plant qualities, attractive foliage and flower coloration and excellent postproduction longevity.

The new Alstroemeria plant originated from a cross-pollination made by the Inventor in Rijsenhout, The Netherlands in June, 2004, of a proprietary Alstroemeria hybrida selection identified as code number 537-2, not patented, as the female, or seed, parent with a proprietary Alstroemeria hybrida selection identified as code number 20419-10, not patented, as the male, or pollen, parent. The new Alstroemeria plant was discovered and selected by the Inventor as a single flowering plant from within the progeny of the stated cross-pollination in a controlled greenhouse environment in Rijsenhout, The Netherlands in June, 2005.

Asexual reproduction of the new Alstroemeria plant by rhizome divisions in a controlled greenhouse environment in Rijsenhout, The Netherlands since September, 2005, has shown that the unique features of this new Alstroemeria plant are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Plants of the new Alstroemeria have not been observed under all possible environmental conditions. The phenotype may vary somewhat with variations in environment and cultural practices such as temperature and light intensity without, however, any variance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be the unique characteristics of ‘Zalsatal’. These characteristics in combination distinguish ‘Zalsatal’ as a new and distinct cultivar of Alstroemeria:

-   -   1. Erect and strong flowering stems.     -   2. Vigorous growth habit.     -   3. Red-colored flowers.     -   4. Excellent postproduction longevity.

Plants of the new Alstroemeria can be compared to plants of the female parent selection. Plants of the new Alstroemeria differ from plants of the female parent selection primarily in flower color as plants of the new Alstroemeria have lighter red-colored flowers than plants of the female parent selection.

Plants of the new Alstroemeria can be compared to plants of the male parent selection. Plants of the new Alstroemeria differ from plants of the male parent selection primarily in flower color as plants of the new Alstroemeria have solid red-colored flowers whereas plants of the male parent selection have red and yellow-colored flowers.

Plants of the new Alstroemeria can be compared to plants of Alstroemeria hybrida ‘Stasach’, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 9,456. In side-by-side comparisons conducted in Rijsenhout, The Netherlands, plants of the new Alstroemeria differed primarily from plants of ‘Stasach’ in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Alstroemeria were shorter than plants of         ‘Stasach’.     -   2. Plants of the new Alstroemeria had darker red-colored flowers         than plants of ‘Stasach’.     -   3. Flowers of plants of the new Alstroemeria were solid red in         color whereas flowers of plants of ‘Stasach’ were red and yellow         in color.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPH

The accompanying colored photograph illustrates the overall appearance of the new Alstroemeria plant, showing the colors as true as it is reasonably possible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in the photograph may differ slightly from the color values cited in the detailed botanical description which accurately describe the colors of the new Alstroemeria plant. The photograph comprises a side perspective view of a typical flowering stem of ‘Zalsatal’.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The aforementioned photograph and following observations and measurements describe plants of the new Alstroemeria grown in Rijsenhout, The Netherlands in a glass-covered greenhouse in ground beds. During the production of the plants, day temperatures ranged from 15° C. to 25° C. and night temperatures ranged from 10° C. to 15° C. Plants used for the photograph and description were one year old. The photograph and the description were taken during the late summer. Color references are made to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart, 1995 Edition, except where general terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.

-   Botanical classification: Alstroemeria hybrida ‘Zalsatal’. -   Parentage:     -   -   Female, or seed, parent.—Proprietary Alstroemeria hybrida             selection identified as code number 537-2, not patented.         -   Male, or pollen, parent.—Proprietary Alstroemeria hybrida             selection identified as code number 20419-10, not patented. -   Propagation:     -   -   Type.—By tissue culture.         -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, summer.—About 40 days.         -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, winter.—About 60 days.         -   Root description.—Fibrous, fleshy, thick; color, close to             155D.         -   Rooting habit.—Freely branching; moderately dense.         -   Rhizomes.—Shape: Elongate; rounded. Length: About 10 cm to             30 cm. Diameter: About 3 mm to 10 mm. Texture: Smooth.             Color: Close to 155D. -   Plant description:     -   -   Plant and growth habit.—Upright; freely branching, bushy             appearance; vigorous growth habit.         -   Time from planting to harvest of cut flowers.—About 80 to 90             days.         -   Plant height.—About 133 cm.         -   Plant diameter (spread).—About 25 cm. -   Flowering stem description:     -   -   Aspect.—Erect.         -   Length.—About 117 cm.         -   Diameter.—About 7 mm.         -   Internode length.—About 2 cm to 8 cm.         -   Strength.—Strong.         -   Texture.—Smooth, glabrous.         -   Color.—Close to 138B. -   Foliage description:     -   -   Appearance.—Leaves asymmetrical; sessile.         -   Length.—About 17.9 cm to 22.4 cm.         -   Width.—About 2.9 cm to 4.3 cm.         -   Shape.—Lanceolate.         -   Apex.—Acute.         -   Base.—Cuneate.         -   Margin.—Entire; slightly undulate.         -   Texture, upper and lower surfaces.—Smooth, glabrous.         -   Venation pattern.—Parallel.         -   Color.—Developing and fully developed leaves, upper surface:             Close to 147A; venation, close to 141D. Developing and fully             developed leaves, lower surface: Close to 137B; venation,             close to 137D. -   Flower description:     -   -   Flower type and habit.—Single cup-shaped flowers arranged in             compound umbels; flowers face mostly outwardly; perianth             segments separate; freely flowering habit.         -   Natural flowering season.—Flowering continuous during the             spring in The Netherlands.         -   Fragrance.—Not detected.         -   Flower longevity on the plant.—About four weeks; flowers not             persistent.         -   Flower longevity as a cut flower.—About 12 to 16 days.         -   Flower buds (showing color).—Length: About 3.5 cm to 4.5 cm.             Diameter: About 1.2 cm to 1.6 cm. Shape: Roughly ovoid.             Color: Close to 183A.         -   Umbel height.—About 15 cm to 19 cm.         -   Umbel diameter.—About 16 cm to 23 cm.         -   Number of flowers and flower buds per umbel.—About 15 to 32.         -   Flower diameter.—About 5.5 cm by 7 cm.         -   Flower depth.—About 5.5 cm to 7 cm.         -   Perianth.—Arrangement: Six arranged in two whorls, each             whorl with two lateral and one median segments. Outer             perianth, lateral segments: Length: About 5.6 cm to 6.4 cm.             Width: About 2.8 cm to 3.7 cm. Shape: Obovate. Apex:             Embedded pointed. Base: Attenuate. Margin: Entire; weakly             undulate. Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Smooth,             glabrous. Color, when opening and fully opened, upper             surface: Close to 46A. Color, when opening and fully opened,             lower surface: Close to 46A. Outer perianth, median segment:             Length: About 5.4 cm to 6 cm. Width: About 3 cm to 3.6 cm.             Shape: Obovate. Apex: Embedded pointed. Base: Attenuate.             Margin: Entire; weakly undulate. Texture, upper and lower             surfaces: Smooth, glabrous. Color, when opening and fully             opened, upper surface: Close to 46A. Color, when opening and             fully opened, lower surface: Close to 46A. Inner perianth,             lateral segments: Length: About 5.8 cm to 6.5 cm. Width:             About 1.4 cm to 1.7 cm. Shape: Oblanceolate. Apex:             Wishbone-shaped. Base: Attenuate. Margin: Entire; weakly             undulate. Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Smooth,             glabrous. Color, when opening and fully opened, upper             surface: Close to 46A; stripes, close to 183A. Color, when             opening and fully opened, lower surface: Close to 46A. Inner             perianth, median segment: Length: About 5 cm to 5.5 cm.             Width: About 1.2 cm to 1.8 cm. Shape: Oblanceolate. Apex:             Wishbone-shaped. Base: Attenuate. Margin: Entire; weakly             undulate. Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Smooth,             glabrous. Color, when opening and fully opened, upper             surface: Close to 46A. Color, when opening and fully opened,             lower surface: Close to 46A.         -   Pedicels.—Length: About 5 to 12 cm. Diameter: About 3 mm.             Strength: Strong. Angle: Erect to about 20° C. from             vertical. Texture: Smooth, glabrous. Color, upper and lower             surfaces: Close to 137C.         -   Reproductive organs.—Stamens: Quantity per flower: Six.             Anther shape: Elliptical. Anther length: About 7 mm to 8 mm.             Anther color: Close to 153D. Pollen amount: Abundant. Pollen             color: Close to 153D. Pistils: Quantity per flower: One.             Style length: About 2.5 cm to 3 cm. Style color: Close to             153D. Stigma color: Close to 153D. Ovary color: Close to             137C.         -   Fruit/seed.—Fruit and seed development has not been             observed. -   Disease/pest resistance: Plants of the new Alstroemeria have not     been observed to be resistant to pathogens and pests common to     Alstroemeria. -   Temperature tolerance: Plants of the new Alstroemeria have been     observed to tolerate temperatures from about −5° C. to about 40° C. 

1. A new and distinct Alstroemeria plant named ‘Zalsatal’ as illustrated and described. 